Beauty and the Geek
by DanniB
Summary: A villain with the ability to control men's effections leaves Lexi and Tech the only Loonitics left to defeat her when the others fall prey to her charms.
1. The Woman in Charge

: Disclaimer; I do not own the Loonatics or any related material. If I did, I'd be pelted with fruit on a daily basis by LU haters. I like the Loonatics, that's why I'm writing this. So if you hate them, you have no business being here. That is all. :

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Busy bureaucrats rushed about the halls with the echoing clicks of formal shoes on marble floor. They carried digital clipboards and neatly filed paperwork, hurrying this way and that to meetings and conference calls, the daily business that came along with running a planet-wide city such as Acmetropolis. So many people passing through, uneventful, dressed in their drab business suits, excepting the occasional loud and garish tie on casual Fridays. The monotonous halls winding throughout the building leading to rooms of scowling heads-of-state debating traffic laws and tax deductions. Routine, day-to-day, business as usual.

So the day a tall woman in a flamboyantly bright pink dress, flowing in like a blaze of fire, decided to saunter right into Town Hall Central, uninvited and unannounced, it caused quite the commotion. All eyes turned to her, which was of course exactly what she wanted.

She walked through the open foyer, confidently, like she owned the place. Followed close behind by a dozen or so men, all keeping their heads turned towards her, their eyes permanently glued to her visage, yet able to walk perfectly without bumping into anything among all the distraction. She smiled at the audience she had amassed of the surprised public servants, tossing her flowing blond hair over her shoulder with a flaunting smile of her perfect teeth. She was a Renaissance painting, a Botticelli, brought to life and walking amongst the mortals.

Walking, as aforementioned, uninvited. As one guard near the Mayor's office had noted. He kept a cautious hand on his stun pistol and approached the woman.

"Excuse me miss, but no one is allowed past this point without the proper papers and identification, or an invitation from the Mayor herself."

She looked upon him with a blissful gaze and a little giggle, as if this amused her.

"Oh, I don't have any of those," she said in a sweet and innocent tone. "But I only want to pop in there for just a moment. You don't mind, do you?"

She played with the long silk scarf that was hanging so daintily around her neck as she spoke. Pouting her lip and batting her eyes pleadingly. The guard wasn't taking an ounce of this hokum and was ready to throw her and her little entourage right out onto the street.

"It would be so nice if you did." She exhaled, provocatively fanning her scarf near his cheek. An odd scent wafted from the delicate cloth and he suddenly felt very relaxed. His tension melted into extinction, replaced by a longing for the woman standing before him. He bowed elegantly and opened the door that sealed off the center hub of the building to the public.

"Here," he sighed, holding it open for her. "Allow me."

"Why thank you." She gave a little grin and waltzed through on her merry way, her gaggle of admirers close at her heals. Once they had cleared the barrier, the guard too, followed her.

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"Here's the proposal for the new monorail line Miss Mayor." The assistant placed the thick document on the desk before the mayor of Acmetropolis.

"Thank you Milo," The administrative commander picked up the first sheet and gazed it over. She had barely gotten through the first paragraph when the door to her office was so rudely flung open and the ravishing intruder barged in.

"Hi, Hi!" She waved, gaining the attention of everyone who had not already been disturbed by her sudden entrance.

"What is the meaning of this?" The mayor demanded, rising with alarm from her chair.

"Oh hush you old bitty." The invader waved off uncaringly. The mayor's aid quickly reached under the desk and pressed the silent alarm button, hoping that this sudden motion had not caught the attention of this mysterious presence that had quickly dominated the room. She didn't seem to have a single care that she was violating several breaking and entering laws, or that two of the mayor's personal guards were pointing their stun pistols at her. She merely smiled and tossed the end of her scarf over her shoulder.

A little pink mist wafted from it, sprinkling the guards. Their weapons drooped, their steely eyes dulling to a lackadaisical stupor. Lovesick smiles curled their faces as she confidently approached the frightened electoral aid.

"Who are you?" he stuttered, trembling. The intruder's face fell to a disappointed frown. She drew even closer to him.

"Why Milo, don't you remember me?" She simpered "You only asked me to prom senior year."

He looked over the intimidating beauty closer, more carefully, searching his memory for a spark of recognition. Quickly, something bubbled to the surface of his mind.

"Venus Brittany?" He was stunned. No one would expect such a bizarre reunion of classmates. He barely recognized her now that her skin had taken a nearly albino shade of light peach. Her eyes had a certain glow behind her aquamarine irises that was almost mesmerizing. Venus smiled and laughed joyously.

"Oh you DO remember! Fantastic!" She hopped with elation and did a little spin. He backed away, smiling nervously; her bubbly behavior was most unsettling. Even more so when she stopped her little dance and grinned lustily at him.

"But, I go by a different name now…" She touched her hand to his face, caressing it gingerly. An odd smell perfumed her skin. It was sweet, alluring, intoxicating.

"You can call me, Aphrodite."

"Aphrodite…" he swooned dreamily, sinking to his knees. "You're just as beautiful as you were in high school."

Tittering, she posed herself like a runway model, basking in his admiration.

"Am I?"

"Yes, in fact, you've gotten even i more /i beautiful."

Another pose.

"Have I?"

"Yes." He proclaimed.

"You're lovely Aphrodite." One of the guards sighed.

"You're flawless Aphrodite." Chimed the other.

"We love you Aphrodite." The entire menagerie of men chorused.

"I know," she answered, as if it were the most commonly known thing in the universe.

A slight movement caught her eye from the corner of the room. At some point during her little display, Aphrodite had failed to notice the mayor crawl under her desk. The politician's curiosity had gotten the best of her fear and she was now peeking out to see what was happening.

"Jealous?" Aphrodite quipped, looking down upon the cowardly form. The large woman shivered, shrinking away with the remainder of her life now question on her mind.

"What are you going to do to me?" she nearly sobbed.

Aphrodite wrinkled her nose, a tiny mar to her porcelain complexion.

"So you think this is all about you? Pu-leese." Perfect pearls peeked between ruby lips. The diva hooked her arm around Milo's and snuggled against his bicep. "I already got what I came for." She flashed the mayor one last superior look before turning on her stiletto heals and strutting out the door.

Witnesses claimed the amount of men caught in her wake had doubled from the amount that had followed her in. Like a single carrot dangling in front of a triple crown's worth of horses, they paraded behind her out of city hall and down the street. She smiled at all the attention it was getting her. A spectacle for all to see.

To be continued


	2. The Perfect Girl

:Wow, this one is long. So take your time. I can wait…:

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"Explain to me again why we're doing this?" Danger Duck asked with annoyance on his breath. It was enough that Ace had called him away from the television for this training session, but when he had seen the holo-trainer set up like a circus tent and his fellow teammates donning blindfolds, it was hard to take the interruption seriously.

"It's a trainin' exercise Duck," Ace explained, offering a blindfold to the fowl. "Ta help wit ar' teamwoik skills."

Duck stared at the limp cloth now in hand, then to Rev and Slam who were already trying theirs on.

"Oh yeah, nothing says 'teamwork' like a game of blind-man's-bluff." He sarcastically spat.

"Dat's not the game weh playin' t'day." Ace smiled, pointing upwards at the set of twin trapezes several feet above their heads.

"Up there?" Duck gulped. He was starting to like this scenario less and less. Ace scaled the thin pole quickly, meeting up with Lexi, already standing on the opposite side, blindfold in hand but otherwise ready. It didn't take Duck long to figure out his leader's intentions were. In a flash he teleported beak to nose with the rabbit to voice his complaint. "You expect me to trapeze BLINDFOLDED? The bunny did not falter.

"Dat was the plan." He shrugged, and tried to better explain. "One of us jumps from dis side, and we gotta trust dat ar' partner's gonna catch us and bring us safely t'theirs."

"Are you crazy!" Duck pointed down the vertigo inducing length. "We've got to be at least 50 feet up!"

"Don't worry about it," Lexi assured, "Slam's staying on the ground to catch anyone who does miss. Isn't that right big guy?" She called down.

Slam grunted happily, giving a thumbs up from his position on the ground. Duck gazed at him apathetically, then noted the one missing member of their menagerie.

"Hey, how did Tech get out of this?"

"He's-working-on-a-new-weapon-and-he-didn't-want-to-be-disturbed-cause-he-said-it-was-imperitive-that-he-focus-to-get-the-charging-system-right-or-else-it-could-explode-in-your-hand-and-I-don't-think-you-want-that-to-happen-no-sir-I-certainly-wouldn't-I-like-my-hands-where-they-are-thank-you-very-much." Rev answered, matter-of-factly.

"Natch, leave it to the nerd to get a note out of gym class." Duck folded his arms curtly.

"He is doing something more important then watching TV Duck." Lexi pointed out.

"I was watching the news." Duck defended himself with a tone of superiority. "Gathering intelligence that could aid us on future missions."

"Yeah, d'five day forecast is SO import'nt t'stopping supa' criminals." Ace smirked as Duck merely glared silently. Mentally cursing the rabbit's despicability. "You can pair up wit Rev. Lexi, you're wit me."

The rabbits tied on their blindfolds and grasped their respective trapeze crossbars tightly.

"Ya ready Lex?" He called. From the other side, she took a cleansing breath, adjusting her grip, running the procedure over in her head. She had done stuff like this thousands of times before, albeit sighted, this was no biggy.

"Ready!" He heard her call from her side.

They simultaneously leapt from their perches. Sailing through the air like graceful birds. Lexi sensed the air around her shift and change. The whistling passed her ears with varying pitches as the pendulum ebbed and flowed. The squeaking of the hinges told her Ace was approaching and she must be ready to anticipate his next move. With a swift motion she flipped herself into the receiving position, hooking the bar beneath her knees and holding her arms out readily.

"Anytime you're ready, Ace." She signaled.

"Here I go!" He called back. He waited for the arch to reach its prime, then released. Once airborne, she only had seconds to determine where he was. Using her super-hearing, she listened for his heartbeat; where it was strongest, were it was weakest. She eliminated where he wasn't then aimed for where he was. The pressure caught her hands and she immediately clasped them around his. The embrace of their paws lasted only fragments before she flung him towards the elevated platform she had launched from.

Flipping nimbly, he landed on the platform with a gentle bend at the knees. She heard him land and followed suit. Releasing the bar at the right moment, momentum propelling her backwards. A tuck and roll and she landed firmly on the pedestal. A solid dismount, perfect as always. Ace had lifted up the edge of his blindfold to see it.

"Nice land'n Lex." He smiled.

"Phfff… Showoff." Duck muttered.

Lexi removed her blindfold with a smile. Ace's grin was complement enough and she knew his praise made Duck ever so jealous.

"Your turn Duck." She smirked. Ace turned to the eager Roadrunner who was already gripping the trapeze bar.

Duck timidly approached the edge of the platform, and quickly regretted the peek given over the side. Normally he wasn't afraid of heights… but normally he had a jet pack on. He glanced ahead at Rev, blindfolded and already swinging, then down at the ground where Slam was staring up with a quietly mesmerized focus on the swinging bird that made Duck slightly uneasy.

"Alright, what's worse?" he asked himself aloud. "Trusting my fate to Mr. Short Attention Span, or the Jaws of Death below?"

"I'm-not-gonna-drop-you-Duck-the-chances-of-me-getting-my-timing-wrong-are-about-oh-five-thousand-to-one-which-is-pretty-good-'cause-I-have-you-locked-in-on-my-radar-so-I-know-where-you-are-and-I-can-tell-you-when-the-good-times-to-jump-are." Rev speedily encouraged. "That-is-if-you-need-any-tips."

Duck huffed and snatched the bar before him.

"I don't need any tips." He denied. "I am a natural." He defiantly donned his blindfold and leapt off. Within a single swing he was fully introduced to gravity's pull and was clinging pathetically to his trapeze like a frightened child to his mother's leg. Ace and Lexi couldn't help but snigger.

"Yeah, a real natural."

Duck frowned at the sound of their laughter. "I'm just finding my tempo." He excused, clumsily failing his legs to keep momentum.

"Ok-Duck," Rev instructed. "Prime-jumping-time-in-T-minus-5-seconds-four-seconds-three-two-now!" The speedster stretched out his arms for retrieval, but Duck remained stationary…well, as stationary as one can be on a trapeze, not even attempting to budge. "Come-on-Duck-you-lost-your-window-here-comes-another-one-in-five-feet-three-feet-one-foot---three-feet,five feet, ten feet," he sighed with disappointment, shaking his head. "He's not jumping."

Ace crossed his arms with resolve.

"Oh, he's jumpin'."

Using the spare trapeze he swung over to the other side and hopped over behind the still swinging duck. A carefully calibrated eye beam shot out, nipping Duck's tail in mid-swing.

"YeeeeOWWW!" Singed tail feathers fluttered about the air as Duck took flight. A huge swing forward as he released the bar to shield his burning behind from further attack, completely forgetting the necessity of grabbing Rev's waiting hands. The roadrunner quickly sensed Duck plummeting and leaping from his perch, took a nosedive to attempt catching him. Slam too, whipped into a frenzy, ran around in circles beneath the declining water foul in hopes of breaking his fall. Both prospective rescuers were denied as, by simple reflex, Duck Quacked mid-air and vanished from sight.

Rev removed his blindfold to ensure Duck's disappearance from his radar wasn't a fluke. As he hovered, he scanned the room for his training partner's presence. After a moment he surrendered and gave Slam a confused shrug, which the Devil answered with a bewildered grunt of his own.

The heavy doors of the training room slid open as Tech paced in, a frown on his face… and a screaming and flailing Duck in his arms.

"Loose someone?" he grimaced.

Duck finally gained his composure as he slowly came to realize he was no longer falling. Safely caught by someone. He lifted the edge of his blindfold and looked up at the glowering coyote.

"Oh, it's you." He remarked cynically. "Careful with the tail feathers, they're currently sensitive, thanks to a certain someone." He narrowed his eyes at the apathetically smug façade Ace was now putting up. Tech rolled his eyes and rudely dropped the duck where he stood.

The rest of the group ignored the cry of outrage and pain as the expression on Tech's face told them something more serious then a sore bottom was at hand here.

"What's up Tech?" Ace inquired as he slid down the ladder.

The coyote only pointed behind him towards the location of the communications room.

"Zadavia's on the line."

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"What's the crisis dejour on t'day's menu Zadavia?" Ace joked, entering the communications room. The remaining team took their seats around the holographic image. The stern face of their informer gazing down with omnipotent certainty as she spoke, her expression remaining neutral.

"A big helping of trouble today Ace. A kidnapping in City Hall Central."

He took his seat; kicking up his feet with an eager, yet contained, grin.

"Sounds tasty."

Slam grunted in agreement, licking his chops with a "Yum, yum."

"Earlier this morning, a woman going by the name Aphrodite, barged into the Mayor's office and kidnapped the Mayor's head assistant, Milo Thorne." The image on the view screens replayed the security video taken from the bureaucratic office of the morning's attack, along with a photo of Thorne himself. A well-dressed man in his mid-thirties, his hair cut short and neatly combed with a pair of thin wire glasses that sat on the bridge of his nose.

"Why'd she kidnap that dork and not the Mayor?" Duck asked bluntly.

"As of right now, her motives are unknown. But Thorne is not the only man that's been taken by her. Several men all over the city have been inexplicably drawn to follow her. It appears that she has the ability to attract these men to her, though I have not yet discovered how she accomplishes this."

"Well, she ain't bad looking f'starters." Ace commented.

Lexi rolled her eyes and coughed an attention grabbing "ahem." Ace noticed her bothered appearance and with sudden humility resumed focus on Zadavia.

"I can only imagine what she could do with such an army." The benefactor continued, concern showing on her face. "And I doubt it's for anything good."

Ace waved his hand with a confident lean back in his chair.

"Eh, nothin' we can't handle. Right team?" The others nodded, ready to go.

"Sounds like a good opportunity for us to field test my new Omniblaster 6,000." Tech smiled, holding up a thick three-barreled gun shaped device. He patted the top, prideful, as if he were stroking his best hunting dog. "This baby can shoot a range of projectiles including energy blasts, lightning arcs, and a heat seeking net launcher for fleeing criminals. Complete with a 99 percent accuracy rating."

"Only 99 percent?" Lexi inquired. Tech rubbed the back on his head, an embarrassed frown turning down his mouth.

"I got caught in the nets once during the lab tests…"

Red lights flashed over the monitors. Zadavia's expression did not change, but her voice deepened with concern.

"It appears that you'll be getting that field test sooner than you expected Tech. Aphrodite has been spotted in the retail district."

"Shopping for the latest designs?" Duck retorted.

The Toons looked over the new video feed. The femme fatale stood before a full-length mirror in a high-end clothing store in deep down town, modeling a long purple gown for her admirers, who gathered around her offering gifts of gems and jewelry.

"More like getting those guys to buy stuff for her." Lexi sneered.

Duck scoffed,

"Oh please, like you don't dream about being lavished with gifts from some admirer?

Lexi blushed. Secretly a gift like that was on her list of guilty pleasures. Who wouldn't want to get a little special something from someone who thought you were pretty? Especially of that someone wasn't too bad looking himself. She shook the thought from her head; now wasn't the time, and Duck's critical gaze was still leaning on her.

"Well…not like what she's doing." A touch of blush heated her cheeks.

"C'mon team, time we showed Aphrodite ah' own voision a d'red light special." Ace announced, standing from his chair. His face had abruptly morphed from joking and easy, to stern and serious. A clear signal it was mission time.

"Good luck Loonatics. Zadavia, out."

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Rainbow ribbons of light streaked across the busy streets. The humming buzz of five Loona-cycles and one supersonic Roadrunner darted about traffic. Motorists gave way to them respectfully. Pedestrians yielding to watch, slack jawed and marveling, until the Acme Heroes had vanished over the horizon.

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Aphrodite sat in the soft red velvet chair, her hands being massaged, the thermostat set at a comfortable 72 degrees, and the shades drawn so the sun would not dare intrude to bother her delicate eyes. Only the best for such a V.I.P. The mustachioed salesman grinned eagerly holding the black high-healed sling back up to her as if it were Cinderella's glass slipper.

"Mademoiselle, please try zees, Italian leather, ze most comfortable and elegant we carree. Zey will most defiantly complement such a beautiful and dainty foot such as yours."

"They are lovely," she smiled, lifting her foot up for all to see. The 30 or more men ooh-ed and ah-ed as she wiggled her toes. The clerk tenderly slipped the shoes onto her milky, soft feet. His moment of privilege, interrupted by the jingling chime of the entrance bell.

"Shoppin' spree's ova Aphrodite!" Ace announced, entering the room with his typical cockiness, the other Loonatics following close behind.

"Loonatics?" Aphrodite's eyes widened with surprise. For a moment she appeared visibly flustered, drained of the heavy confidence she had subdued the mayor with just this morning. Composing herself quickly, she straightened her dress and turned up her nose.

"This is a private party, and you weren't invited."

"Dat's okay." Ace Smirked, "We prefer crashin' parties anyway."

"Yeah Sister!" Duck chimed in, trying to catch a little of Ace's thunder. "We're breaking up your little fan club and taking you in!"

No sooner had the words slipped past his beak, he began to feel the angry stares pinprick all over his body. Every one of Aphrodite's men glared at him with severe, burning, hatred. Duck gulped hard, smiling nervously as the growls and glares felt hot on his feathers as they closed in tightly around him.

"Was it something I said?"

"How dare you try to take Aphrodite from us!" One of the men shouted.

"We have to protect her!" yelled another.

"Let's get 'im!"

Before Duck could realize what was going on, he was being trounced upon by a horde of angry men.

"Ow! Hey! Watch the feathers!" he protested as they ganged up on him.

The others winced as another large man leapt onto the growing mass that covered their companion. The dog pile suddenly collapsed as Duck appeared behind his teammates in a flash of quantum energy.

"Woo!" he gasped. "Ugly crowd."

Lexi pointed with wide eyes fixated on the rioting mob heading towards them.

"It's about to get uglier!"

Ace ducked the chair that came flying at his head and leapt behind a display mannequin. He pulled out his Omniblaster and set it to "capture."

"Set ya blasters t'net launcha." He ordered, "We don't wanna hoit um!"

The Loonatics obeyed and soon the room was filled with the sounds of flying mesh, pinning down and tying up rampaging masculinity left and right. It was an easy round up, like a private rodeo, twisted in the fact that the animals were subduing the cowboys in this case. Occasionally a brain blast or quantum egg flew past to destruct an airborne chair or mannequin but the effort for the most part was kept as nonviolent as possible. At least, that's what the Loonatics where trying for. The men on the other hand had more savage ideas in mind.

Laser pistols fired over the melee. The former mayoral guard decided to take on the occupation of pest control against Acmetropolis's heroes, their loyalty no longer with their city, their allegiance only to Aphrodite. Milo stepped in front of her as a shield for any errant blast that dared near her. Regardless of their own safety, the men continued to onslaught and blitz against forces stronger then their own, but not as bloodthirsty as they.

Duck relocated behind a metal statue suspended from a support beam connected to the domed ceiling overlooking the center of the store. The guards spotted him and re-opened fire.

"Hey! You're supposed to be on our side ya know!" The fowl complained.

A stray laser whizzed by his head, instead of hitting him thanks to the fast reflexes of a coward, it sliced a support cable, fraying it. The statue's weight did the rest of the work, snapping the cable and the effigy pulled away from the wall, dangling from its remaining restraints.

The barrage began again and the orange clad hero teleported away from the stream of fire, leaving the imbalanced decoration to loose its grounding without his knowledge of the severity of its instability. Tech pinned a large angry cab driver down in a net before noticing the wires on the suspended art piece snap, the weighty iron form leaning precariously over the remaining love obsessed combatants. The unrestrained figure toppled, aimed to crush the men poised beneath it. Tech dropped his weapon and caught the statue in an aura of green glow. The sudden distraction caused by this unexpected mayhem gave Aphrodite ample opportunity to run out the nearest exit, Milo close on her heals. Catching eye of this, Ace signaled the others to follow.

"Afta' her!"

Tech strained under the tonnage of the statue, scanning around for a place to drop the hefty hazard without smashing anyone. Unfortunately, with their mistress gone, the men had slumped to the floor in a melancholy depression.

"Move!" He growled at them.

"Aphrodite's gone…" One man whined.

"Why'd she leave us?" Another sobbed.

Tech groaned and turned to his comrades.

"I'll catch up!"

With a nod, Ace took off with the others.

The chase led them to a storage area piled high with shoeboxes and shelves of folded merchandise. The head start had hidden their fugitive well among the stock.

"Great, she could be anywhere." Duck proclaimed. His investigative gaze disrupted by a clodhopper whacking the back of his head. Heads turned to see Milo launching throw after throw, any shoe he could get his hands on.

"Leave her alone!" he demanded, tossing another volley of footwear. The Loonatics dodged, but found his aim to be defiantly accurate. Slam stood in between Milo and the others. The shoe barrage continued but thumped harmlessly against his chest before dropping to the floor.

"For a desk jockey, he sure has a good arm." Lexi noted.

"I know, isn't he hunky?" Aphrodite squealed from her seat upon many boxes in the corner.

"Give up Aphrodite." Ace focused his eyes squarely on her. "Ya army ain't here ta protect ya anymore."

She stood, pouting like a little girl denied candy.

"Why would you want to arrest me? I haven't done anything bad."

"Yeah right." Lexi huffed with a roll of her eyes. "Only trespassing and kidnapping." Aphrodite met her intolerant glare with one of her own, only to see the other Loonatics achieving the same.

"Now, now" She waggled her perfectly manicured finger. "Those boys came with me because they wanted to. Right Milo baby?"

"I'd follow you anywhere, Aphrodite." The spectacled other announced.

The heroes' gazes remained unconvinced. Their unfeeling chill left to run down her spine.

"See?" She teased. "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful."

"Oh, we don't hate ya 'cause ya beautiful. We hate ya 'cause ya tryin' ta control all d'men in d'city." Ace quipped.

"But it's so much easier to love than hate." Her voice was sultry and warm as she tossed her scarf over her shoulder filling the air with a light puff of pink vapor.

"Fhew! Somebody's overdoing it with the perfume." Lexi twitched her nose while fanning some of the fragrant mist away.

Aphrodite smiled and pointed to the remaining teammates.

"They seem to like it."

Lexi looked over to see the dopey looks of her companions fixated on Aphrodite's form. Their mouths partially agape in half smiles, eyes glazed in a daydream-like state. Lexi waved her hands in front of their faces, trying to reclaim their attention.

"Uh, guys?"

Duck blinked and slapped her hand away with annoyance in his glare.

"Do you mind?" he snapped. "All your waving around his blocking my view of…her…" He brushed Lexi aside to get closer. Aphrodite basked in his attention, while giving Lexi the same superior look she had given the mayor.

"She's beautiful…" Duck sighed.

"Beyond beautiful, she-amazing-she's-breathtaking-stupendous!" Rev exclaimed dashing about her to behold her many angles and curves.

"Hehheh…pretty…" Slam muttered with a blissful smile.

"Would you guys listen to ya selves?" Ace broke the hazy stupor with a shout. His serious leer slicing their attention back to him. "Ya all sound like ya crazy."

Lexi returned the domineering grin in Aphrodite's direction.

"She's gorgeous."

Then she faltered. Long ears drooping, eyes and mouth open wide, shock capturing her voice in her throat. She was only able to meekly squeak out a surprised utterance of his name.

Aphrodite could have eaten up her expression for dessert.

"Looks like your boys found a new queen bee, Honey." She smirked, taking Ace's chin in her hand.

Green eyes were now taking on a hot pink glow.

"I can still sting!" Lexi threatened, leaping up into a powerful kick aimed right for Aphrodite's head.

Her flight was stopped short by the painful yank of her ears. Dangling helplessly at the mercy of Slam's tremendous fist clamped tightly around her lobes.

"Grrthua, No hurt pretty!" he garbled, holding her at eye level, anger distorting his face into a frightening mask.

"Urhg, Slam, you're… hurting me…" she winced against the burning sensation that threatened that her ears were close to ripping off her head. She feebly tried to pry free, biting the inside of her lip to hold back the pain-induced tears pooling behind her shut eyes.

"Toss back that little fish, big boy." Aphrodite chuckled, "You already got the catch of the day."

Slam callously dropped Lexi. She landed disgracefully on her rear with a groan. Her ears throbbing from all the pinching and pulling they had endured. Looking up she saw the guys crowding around Aphrodite, competing for her attention.

"You're beautiful Aphrodite!" Duck swooned.

"You're wonderful Aphrodite." Ace stated.

"We love you Aphrodite!" The quartet sang at once.

Lexi stared in disbelief, the dreamlike scenario unfolding before her. Speechless, aside from a flabbergasted,

"Oh, boy…"

To be continued


	3. Beauty and Brains

Chapter 3- Beauty and Brains

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You have got to be kidding me…

Those were the words floating from Lexi's mind as her bewilderment transformed into frustration at the four teammates now practically (or in Slam's case, literally) drooling over Aphrodite before them.

"Hello! Guys! That's an evil villain you're fawning over." She tried reasoning with them. They didn't respond, not even to acknowledge that they had even heard her speak. They continued leering, staring, sighing, in a heavenly daze. There may as well have been little cartoon hearts floating around their heads. Aphrodite giggled again, only this time not in a childishly sweet way. More like a mocking, self-indulgent way. A true nature pricking though the innocent façade, as paint would chip off a wall showing the original, ugly, outdated colors underneath. It entertained her to see Lexi so earnestly trying to shepard her friends back onto her side, and her failing at it was the frosting on the cake.

"It's so cute that you want your friends back." She teased meanly. "But they're mine now and they don't want it any other way. That's what happens when a man falls under my spell."

Lexi snarled.

"Then I'll have to break your spell when I break your face!"

She charged up a Brain-Blast and aimed carefully, not wanting to accidentally hit one of her teammates. The pink bolt zapped with an unleashed fury. Aphrodite's eyes widened, the confidence draining from her face.

Until a sword's blade intercepted, deflecting the beam away to fizzle out within the nether regions of the room. Ace stood nobly by Aphrodite's side, a picturesque facsimile of a knight by his lady. The sight was equivalent to a blow to the chest. The stares of the others on Lexi stung. They wore expressions of betrayal, but she quickly reminded herself she had done nothing wrong. Aphrodite looked at how they gathered around her and grinned that snaky, witchy smile. Her superior expression returning as if she had planned it this way all along.

"Oh, didn't think it would happen that way, did you?" She cutesy-talked with mock sympathy.

Lexi growled under her breath. This was the end of her limit.

"When I get my hands on you…" She snarled, but was unable to finish her statement when the glares began again, distracting her. She smartly backed off, fearing their percolating wrath. Needless to say, Aphrodite was hardly distressed.

"All you have are threats?" She held back a laugh "That's pretty pathetic."

"So's having to brainwash guys to like you." Lexi hissed back. "And pretty shallow if you ask me."

Aphrodite's face scrunched up flashing beet red, puffing her cheeks in a manner that resembled a child about to throw a temper tantrum.

"Shallow?" She snarled indignantly. Her eyes glared sharply.

Her newfound followers turned to her with confused expressions pleading to know how they could ease her frustration.

"How, dare, you…" She fumed, gritting her teeth. The angrier she got, the more her beauty seemed to fade, burned away by the heat of her hate. She finally took notice of the male Loonatics glimpsing her sympathetically. With an annoyed, commanding tone she heaved,

"Well, don't just stand there, make her HURT!"

It was comparable to that point in the horror movie when the girl hiding from the killer realizes she's been spotted and there's no escape. Four sets of glowing eyes turning on her with the abhorrence shared only with villains in the past.

Lexi tried to stifle the flutter in her heart. This couldn't be real. This was a bad dream, right? Her best friends and teammates were NOT about to kick her pink bunny butt to the curb… right? The quartet lunged at her. She leapt over Rev as he zoomed straight for her. Slam's trunk-like arms thrashed at her, but she kicked him in the chest, spring boarding up and somersaulting over Duck's grasping hands. Powered on the rush of adrenaline she dashed out the heavy exit door, without a single glimpse behind her.

-----------------------------------------------

In the back alley, behind the outlet strip, Lexi found little reprieve as the rapid footsteps tapped closer and closer. Her reaction time was severed as a red streak snatched around her around the waist and carried her back towards the building.

"Man-you-really-got-Aphrodite-angry-back-there-Lex-good-thing-we're-on-her-good-side-so-maybe-if-you-apologize-she-won't-be-mad-anymore-and-she'll-let-you-hang-around-with-us-or-something-that-would-be-great!"

Lexi rolled her eyes. The idea of being Aphrodite's gal pal nauseated her more then Rev's rapid movements through the alleyway. She braced herself and swiftly swept her leg beneath Rev's, halting his speed in an abrupt stumble that propelled them both to the ground. The remaining momentum sending him sliding uncomfortably against the concrete, Lexi leapt from the roadrunner's weakened grasp and with a tuck and roll, avoiding a nasty introduction to road rash. Rev skidded to a stop, crumpled and close to unconsciousness a few feet away. His head and tail feathers lying disheveled over his body, he tried to pull himself up but collapsed with fatigue. Lexi frowned; hurting him was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Sorry!" She called before running away. Within a few measly seconds, he had cost her precious time and distance. She resumed her escape, trying not to focus on the fact that she had felled a friend. Not even two steps further did she go before Duck materialized in her way.

"Not so fast, sister." He announced cockily. "If anyone's getting props form Aphrodite for catching you, it's gonna be me." He grinned, pointing to himself in a self-assured way before taking a clichéd superhero pose. "Now come quietly and I won't have to use force."

She shook her head, sighing inwardly at his lame spouting. He was the same old Duck, even when brainwashed. She pointed in a random direction over his shoulder and shouted,

"Look! There's Aphrodite now!"

As expected, he turned, abandoning his attention to her in a hopeful search.

"Where? Is she watching me? Do I look heroic enough?" He preened his feathers a moment and turned back to show his captive.

Only to discover she was his captive no longer.

His face dropped, then molded to a look of scorn and annoyance. He yelled into the empty alleyway.

"Hey! That was a low blow!"

Somewhere out from the maze of brick echoed an apologetic,

"Sorry!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hidden in the dark cover of the alleyway, Lexi managed to force down a few deep breaths of air. Her mind racing, senses alert, she knew this reprieve was just a little pit stop before the chase began again. The distant footsteps her super hearing had picked up assured her of this. The steps began to pick up their pace, searching and wandering with an uncertain footfall. Lexi knew they'd find her eventually and she had a choice; run now and hope she'd loose them or stay and try to take her pursuer by surprise. She chose to stay and fight. After all, she had heard him long before he could possibly hear her.

She flipped the charging switch on her Omniblaster. The tiny whine told her it was ready to release its payload on her command. Hoping a little stun blast would be able to handle opponents who could outrun, teleport out of, slice through, blast, or otherwise tear to shreds a restraining net.

The footsteps where now getting more frequent, rapidly closing the gap towards her. Her finger twitched on the trigger as she tried to ready her mind. What was coming around that corner was an enemy not a friend. With a nerve-rallying cry, she whipped the weapon up at arms length straight out, pointing it right between the eyes of the pointy-eared form darting into her line of sight.

"Lexi!" Tech shrieked, nearly loosing his cool. His arms up submissively, shaking; the expression on his face indicating the idea that his heart may have stopped. His pupils shrunken to the size of pinpricks in anticipation for his head to be blown off, a sadly too familiar sensation.

"Tech!" Lexi's arms slackened, as did her jaw. A sigh of relief rolled out of her mouth.

"That's not the best way to make a guy happy to see his teammates, you know." He lowered his guard as she lowered her gun.

"Sorry." She pleaded for what felt like the hundredth time. "It's the others, Aphrodite turned them into her love zombies!"

Tech's face regained its surprised cast momentarily. Lexi's sad eyes proved to be the only evidence he needed to see she wasn't bending the truth. Then, another realization overcame him.

"But, her powers didn't effect you. Intriguing." He looked about the alley. "Where are the others now?"

Suddenly the brick wall beside them erupted with smashed mortar and flying rubble scattering, bursting free from the construct. The mighty purple fist followed by the imposing form of Slam Tasmanian leering through the impressive body sized hole he had just made for himself. Lexi slid Tech a sardonic stare.

"You just had to ask?" Her voice deflated.

The bulky behemoth lunged forward. His ferocious mitts narrowly missing Lexi as she deftly flipped out of his range.

"Run!" She grabbed Tech by his wrist and dragged his bewildered body behind her.

The chase only lasted seconds as Slam activated his tornado mode. Instantly the alleyway became a wind tunnel suctioning the fleeing duo back towards their predator. Failing to keep their footing, they left the ground, tugged strongly by the current into what appeared to be an inevitable encounter with a windy Charybdis.

Reacting quickly, Tech spotted a fire escape on the side of the old building parallel to their pathway. Reaching out a glowing hand he summoned the ladder down from locked position. He and Lexi grabbed on and pulled themselves to the safety of the higher levels. The wind died down and the beastly warrior stared up at them now out of his attack range.

Or so they thought…

Slam grabbed the fire escape and pulled mightily, causing the fire escape to wobble and warp. Lexi and Tech tried their hardest to hold on despite the undulations. Finally the metal escape was freed from the brick and hoisted unnaturally into the air, the frightened mammals flung from their perch. Lexi's gymnastics kicked in and saved her from a broken back as she landed expertly in an energy-dissipating crouch. Tech activated his backpack and gave himself a rocked-assisted landing next to her. Slam approached them, a hungry glint in his eye neither of them liked.

The devil seemed intently focused on the girl bunny, however, as Tech dutifully noted. Realizing she was the brute's true target, the coyote aimed to gain her an escape. Slam lunged forward, looking to give Lexi the worst bear hug in history, but a certain green-hued canine forced himself between them. Tech held the Omniblaster square in Slam's face.

"Slam, don't make me do this."

Herculean arms hit him with the impact of a semi-truck.

Lexi's face froze with shock as Tech flew backwards, the helpless prey of rag-doll physics. He impacted with the edge of a dumpster before flipping into the open receptacle. He landed inverted, his tail in his face and a discomforting tingle numbing his legs.

"I don't think that's what he had in mind when he said that." Lexi mused. The glowing purple eyes reminded her that Tech wasn't the only one in dangers path. Gaining speed she ran away, hoping to escape this bad dream like scenario. It was no use however, as Rev instantly blocked the end of the alleyway. Duck appeared on her left, Ace to her right, she was boxed in.

Aphrodite calmly followed the fray, her high heels clicking to announce her presence like applause. Milo close behind her, smiling dreamily, and seemingly oblivious to the inevitable mayhem. She surveyed the destruction with a half interest. When she saw Lexi still standing, her curiosity boiled to frustration.

"You haven't finished her yet?" She indignantly whined. "I thought you were supposed to be professionals."

"I almost got her!" Duck excitedly proclaimed, bouncing like an eager puppy. "That counts for something right?"

Aphrodite sighed and pushed past the duck. She fumed; tightening her fists, then took notice of Ace standing so close by her side. His expression was one of disappointment, the look of a master shamed by failure, but a tiny spark of resolve. It was a warriors' look that gave Aphrodite an idea. She turned to him with a smile.

"Acey, why don't you show them why you're the leader?"

He stepped forward and drew his sword. The thin blade telescoping out with a flick of his wrist. A stern, unquestioning lens over his eyes. A quick trot sprung him up into the air, the blade held over his head ready to make the vertical slash straight through his fellow lagamorph. Something inside Lexi's throat tightened, reducing her voice to a meager gasp of fear.

Only inches from her earspace, the steal suddenly jerked back, flying itself and Ace still holding tight, right into a nearby brick wall, imbedding itself there.

"You okay?" Tech's voice recovered her senses. She looked back to see him climbing from the dumpster, his hand and eyes glowing brilliantly.

Ace snarled with fury, yanking his sword from the wall and rushing back towards Lexi. She leaned back, dodging his slice. Placing her hands on the ground, she back flipped to get farther out of range. Tech sped to intercept his next swing.

"Get outta d'way!" The bunny ordered.

Tech stood firm, his arms crossed in a defensive stance as the blade came down. A thin green magnetic field the only thing between him and loosing his arms.

"Ace, what are you doing?" He beckoned to his leader's common sense. "Its us!"

Ace pushed harder on the handle. His intent to obey Aphrodite was overwhelming and Tech was standing between him and finishing her command. Tech pressed back, determined to stop this insanity.

"You're not really going to hurt Lexi are you?"

Ace's eyes stopped their golden blaze. The blue irises taking on a softness of worry, as a moment of hesitation began to linger. The wait for results was too much for Aphrodite to bear. She decided to take things into her own hands.

"What is taking so long?" She walked over to the combatants, eyeing them both with distain.

Ace halted at her sudden presents right next to him and Tech. Both warriors slackened as she eyed Tech over with intrigue.

"Looks like I missed one."

Tech did not like the way she was looking over him. It was a look he had received times before by those who wanted something out of him. It made him uneasy, more so when she got too deep into his personal space. He took a step back to retreat, but found it oddly difficult to take his eyes off her.

Lexi saw the intent in Aphrodite's eyes. She called out to Tech before he could fall deeper under her spell.

"Tech, get away from her!"

Tech regained his focus, a rush of adrenaline pumping his heart realizing what Aphrodite was trying to do. His eyes darted around and fell upon a nearby trashcan. Thinking quickly, he levitated the can and overturned its contents onto the Diva's head.

A waterfall of refuse poured down, clinging to her hair and clothing. The smell was awful and its pungency snapped Tech's mind fully back to reality.

Aphrodite shrieked. Her dress stained with drippy coffee grounds, skin tainted with slippery banana peels and sticky tissue paper. The repugnance on her face wrinkled her features. For a moment, silence. She shivered with revulsion and shock.

"My new dress!" Her disgusted cries bounced off the alley walls. "Ew, ew, ew! Gross!" She shook off as much of the slimy waste as she could; Milo and the brainwashed Loonatics watched her with confusion, approaching with concern. Tech and Lexi however, took several cautious steps back.

"It's okay,"

"It'll wash right out."

"That banana peel brings out the color in your eyes!"

Her followers tried to calm her.

"I can't be seen like this!" Aphrodite wailed, "Get me out of here! NOW!"

"But what about them?" Duck pointed towards the retreating others.

"I don't care!" She burst "You can destroy them later. I need a bath!"

"Oh-right-away-with-bubbles-and-scented-oils-and-those-little-beads-that-get-all-fizzy-when-you-drop-them-in-the-water-you-name-it!" Rev spouted, scooping her up and zipping off, the remaining loyalists running in his wake, leaving a bewildered Tech and Lexi to themselves.

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To be continued:


	4. High School Reunion

Chapter 4- High School Reunion

"I got it!" Tech shouted, basked in the glow of his many computer screens. After loosing track of Aphrodite and their lovelorn teammates he and Lexi had retreated to headquarters and for the last hour he had been evaluating the situation they had experienced, along with security footage and residue of Aphrodite's pink mist from Lexi's uniform.

Lexi looked up from her staring into nothing to acknowledge him. With only Tech and herself at HQ the silence was really starting to get to her. It really wasn't until the others were gone that she realized just how much she appreciated their presence. Even when they weren't all in the same room, her super hearing could pick up Slam sneaking a snack in the kitchen, or Rev rushing about the base, Duck yelling to someone on the phone, Ace training with his sword. The thoughts of them being gone so quickly and easily were unsettling, but Tech's sudden cries of "eureka" filled her empty void with a flash of hope.

"She's using pheromones." The coyote explained. Lexi twitched her nose with curiosity. Catching this gesture, he expounded further. "It's a naturally secreted chemical that most animals use to attract potential mates. Although from what I observed, Aphrodite is producing amounts beyond normal human standards." He rubbed his chin, pondering the many reasons this could be.

"So, she's sweating love potion number nine?" Lexi asked with a hint of disbelief.

"That's just about it, despite your laymen's terminology." Tech typed some keys on his computer consol. The surveillance footage from earlier was brought up to the screen. "She must store the excess sweat in that scarf she wears. Any male that is exposed to it becomes psychologically dependant on its presence. Without it the victim suffers from overwhelming feelings of despair and longing."

Lexi got it now. This wasn't any ordinary mind control. It was simulated love.

"So that's how she's controlling them." She concluded. "They're hooked on her pheromones."

Tech folded his arms across his chest with a sigh.

"We might as well face it. They're addicted to love."

Lexi played along with his lyrical paraphrasing.

"Any way we can help them break the habit?"

Tech resumed typing position.

"As a matter of fact, I can whip up a counter- agent that can neutralize the effect of the pheromone." His optimistic expression then faded. "But I'm going to need a sample of Aphrodite's sweat to make it."

Lexi scratched behind her ear in thought. The forming idea was not pleasing her.

"Which means we'll have to get up close and personal will little miss pretty."

"Tech, Lexi," Zadavia's voice sparked over the intercom as if cued by an unseen director. "I've located Aphrodite's whereabouts."

The figurehead's visage appeared on the holophone projector with a concerned mask holding her features. It gained the two anthros' attention.

"What's the news Zadavia?" Lexi inquired.

A set of visuals provided by city security cameras began to play as Zadavia narrated.

"After another shopping spree, Aphrodite's M.O. has suddenly changed as she's now getting her followers to abduct female residents of Acmetropolis. These women seem to be chosen at random. They range from lawyers and doctors to housewives and meter maids.

"It can't be random." Tech shook his head, his internal logic alarm buzzing. He reviewed the footage. Women being snatched from their homes and places of business, even right off the streets, in the most abrupt manners. Many by his own teammates. He finally picked up on something.

"All those women appear to be around the same age." He turned back to the holoscreen. "Zadavia, can you give me a list of their names? Maybe I can run a search to find a link between them all."

"You might not have time for that Tech." The informer frowned. "Aphrodite is having them all taken to the Acmetropolis West Sector High School. I suggest you stop whatever she has planned for these poor women first, before finding out what they have in common."

"She's right." Lexi agreed. She punched her fist into her paw for emphasis. "Whatever she's planning, Aphrodite has to be stopped." She paused a moment recognizing the fact that she only had Tech for backup. "But how do we stop her from using her love voodoo on you?"

Tech smiled, he had been waiting for her to ask that.

"I already have just the thing." He reached into his desk and pulled out a mask- like device adorned with small vents and thin tubes. He snapped it over his muzzle, covering his nose and mouth. His eyes peered through the tinted lenses as he attached the straps to the back of his head. The entire ensemble made him look like a reject Storm Trooper.

"Well, you won't be winning any fashion awards for it." She observed.

"I won't be inhaling any of Aphrodite's pheromone either." He defended his work. "The filters should prevent any impure oxygen from getting through."

"As long as it keeps pretty girl from getting another boy toy, it works for me." Lexi turned back to the holophone image. "We're on it Zadavia."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------+++

The main doors to the West Sector High School groaned under their weight as they slowly swung open. Lexi and Tech scanned the entrance. The darkened halls were admittedly spooky without the gossiping voices, squeaking sneakers and all around presence of teens filling them.

"It's pretty quiet." Tech verbally noted.

"It's summer Tech," Lexi reminded him. "Students don't tend to hang around after the school's closed." She caught the embarrassed shift in his eyes, realizing her faux pas she amended, "Well, most students anyway." She smiled awkwardly and decided to refrain from expanding on the subject further.

They spent several moments wandering the halls for signs of life. Occasionally glancing at the trophy cases and posters adorning the walls. Lexi suddenly stopped in her tracks, signaling for Tech to stop as well. Her ears twitched, a soft pink energy sparkling around them.

"You hear something?" Tech inquired.

"Yeah," she confirmed. "Something I haven't heard in a long time."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+++

"Go A, C! Go M, E! ACME! ACME! ACME!!!"

Aphrodite waved her pom-poms wildly in the air, performing splits and back flips to the raving crowd. The male audience burst with applause and ecstatic cheers, the stands nearly filled to their maximum capacity.

She blew them all kisses, swirling about in her tight cheerleader uniform, smiling like a pop-diva in a music video. Around her, the Loonitics, wearing male cheer squad uniforms, hoisted her onto the top of a pyramid routine.

"Listen up, it's peachy keen! Aphrodite is your queen!" They chanted, answered back by another round of hoots and hollers from the crowd.

"Thank you!" She grinned, leaping off the apex and landing with a bow. "So nice you could all come out to support your local school. And of course, me!"

Another deafening cheer, accompanied with random proclamations of love and adoration. The only silence came from the confused and frightened women stuffed away on a set of bleachers nearest their quirky captor. They huddled together, afraid to make a move with so many of Aphrodite's followers so close at hand. Aphrodite approached them with a wiggle in her hips and a wicked curl on her lips.

"Now, now, no need to be fearful in the presence of greatness." She smiled, drinking in the way they whispered among themselves and watched her submissively.

"Why did you bring us here?" One woman got the nerve to ask.

"What's the matter?" Aphrodite pouted falsely. "Got no school spirit? They do!" She pointed at the field of cheering men. The Loonitics joined them with acrobatic tumbles and flourishes.

"Here she is, she's high and mighty! All bow down to Aphrodite!" Duck danced with flailing pom-poms.

"See?" Aphrodite smiled, "They love me!" She sauntered up to Milo and Ace, placing an arm over each of their shoulders. "Isn't that right boys?"

"We love you Aphrodite." They both replied dreamily. She smiled her eggshell white teeth at the female crowd.

Above the field another set of voyeurs were taking in the scene.

"Just look at her," Lexi fumed, "parading them around like trophies. Could she be a bigger show off?"

"Question is, how do we stop the show without the audience getting rowdy?" Tech surveyed the area through his high-powered binoculars.

"Well, attacking directly is out of the question. Those men snap into attack mode even if there's a chance she could break a nail.

"A pack mentality… fascinating."

"This isn't a nature documentary, Tech." Lexi scolded. "We have to snap them out of it. Then we can focus on Aphrodite." She squeezed her fists together. "She's going to pay for what she did to Ace."

"And the others." The coyote added with a knowing grin.

Lexi flushed catching her Freudian slip.

"And the others." She amended speedily. Tech simply remained smug. He knew about her feelings for Ace. One male, heroic, healthy, good-looking rabbit, plus one athletic, attractive, intelligent, female rabbit… well, one didn't have to be a super genius to figure out that kind of math. But he said nothing regarding Lexi's blunder. There was a job to be done.

"If we can sneak up on her and get a piece of her scarf, I can use the sweat stored on it to whip up that counter agent." He looked back up to Lexi. "Got a plan?"

"Plan?"

Lexi stared blankly. She had been too busy seething to really come up with a plan. Plans were normally Ace's forte.

"You are the acting leader whenever Ace isn't around." Tech reminded her.

"Right!" She knew that. She scanned her mind quickly to assess the information they had gathered on the situation. Just because Ace got first dibs on the plans, it didn't mean she never came up with her own. She took another look down on the field. "Okay. Here's what we do."

----------------------------------------------------------------++++


	5. We Could Use a Little Cheer

Chapter 5- We Could Use a Little Cheer

Aphrodite cartwheeled in front of the stands once again, and once again a huge male ovation rocked the stadium.

"You're all too kind!" She sweetly waved to all of them. She glanced back at the kidnapped women to take in their looks of contempt. She drank it all in as delicious jealousy of all she had that they didn't. "Let's hear it for me!" She flailed out pom-poms with a vigorous routine. "All your praise and love for me, you all adore Aphrodite! All you girls can plainly see, this is my big victory! V- I- C- T- O- R- Y! Why? Because you like me! You really like me!"

"Wow! And here I thought you didn't know how to spell." A voice from above commended.

Aphrodite looked up at the aerial entrance into the stadium. The roar of jet packs above her head drowned out the men's protests of not being able to hear their idol. The bunny and coyote landed center field and faced her sternly. Aphrodite scrunched up her nose and frowned deathly at the pair, especially Lexi for her previous remark.

"You again? Lexi, was it?" She glanced at Tech. "And you brought the nerd with you too?"

"I prefer the term, 'Genius'." He corrected.

"How cute." She falsely grinned, "He thinks he's special. Guess you couldn't find any other date to bring, huh Lexi?"

Lexi ignored the comment and kept a serious glare.

"Why did you kidnap these women?"

"Why? To rub it in their faces of course. It's all about popularity. What's the point of having it if you can't flaunt it? She who has the most boy-toys wins."

Lexi's glare kept connected with Aphrodite's gaze.

"So you're nothing but a walking ego."

"Actually-it's-more-like-a-walking-Id-but-that's-if-you're-getting-into-Freud-here-in-that-case…"

"Quiet, bird." The diva snapped. Rev clasped a hand over his beak to keep from further blathering.

Lexi got right in Aphrodite's face.

"We're giving you one last chance to give up and let these people go."

"And how are you going to stop me?" Aphrodite posed in a thinking posture. "Hmm, I have all these men doing everything I command. And all you have is Poindexter. Did you really think the two of your could take them all out?" She waved her arm to indicate the masses of men watching from the bleachers. Lexi's silence remained with her glare. Aphrodite smiled. "That's what I thought. And you came all this way too." She sneered and placed her forefinger and thumb in the shape of an L on her forehead. "Loser."

Lexi did not loose her composure.

"Oh, I have a name for you too. But calling _you _that would be an insult to Tech's mom."

It took a moment for Aphrodite to understand the insult, but once she did her face turned red with hatred.

"You…" She stammered, her words clogged with raged. "You do NOT call ME that!"

"Uh, Technically she didn't." Duck shrugged. Aphrodite whipped around with daggers in her eyes. She glared him right in the face, seething, an inch from his beak.

"Shut up! You only back ME up! Not her!" She hissed.

"Yes'um." He squeaked meekly.

She turned back and continued her death gaze upon Lexi, who looked back now with a hint of smug.

"Gee, you get this twisted out of shape if someone calls you a name, I'd hate to see what happens if I were to actually hit you." Lexi mused.

Aphrodite steamed in her skin.

"You won't live long enough to try! Sic her boys!"

The waves of men cascaded form the stands towards the center of the field. Lexi stood her ground. The circle of rabid Aphrodite enthusiasts closed in on her rapidly. Each man chomping at the bit to avenge his insulted mistress.

"Man, and I thought soccer fans made bad crowds."

Lexi's acrobatics spared her a blow from a very large impact of men rushing at her on her left. A high leap saved her from someone cleaver enough to have carried a plank of wood down to the field with them. Her super-powered teammates competed with the normal citizenship for pummeling position, but she had the sheer mass of men to supermen in her favor blocking their path. In fact Slam managed to take out a large chunk of these opponents for her in his attempts to get to her. Lexi did her best to avoid the thrusts, punches, and blows all whilst keeping a close eye on Aphrodite. The villainess was doing exactly what Lexi had been expecting; sitting there on the bleachers, watching the whole ordeal with a gleefully sadistic grin on he face. So intensely focused on the spectacle of Lexi's punishment she had failed to even recall that Tech had been there to start with. Which was fine by him as he snuck up behind her.

He steadied his hands, watching for the right moment to grab Aphrodite's scarf. It would be a simple procedure, grab and tug. Or rather, grab, tug, and then run like all Hades. His hand was only an inch away. Half-an inch. A micrometer…

"Come on! It can't be that difficult! She's one rabbit!" Aphrodite suddenly lurched forward to chastise her minions. The unexpected shift caused Tech to grab her ponytail by mistake.

Her shrill cry of pain tore the men's attentions away from Lexi and toward the now terrified coyote faced with the red-hot anger of the infuriated beauty.

"Uh, heheh," He fingered the blond locks in his hand nervously. "It's silky soft." He complemented clumsily.

She pulled the strands from his hand furiously and dealt him a death glare that chilled him down his spine.

"No one. Touches. My. Hair. EVER!!!"

Lexi found herself suddenly ignored by the angry masses. Now focusing their attentions solely on Tech, the riot shifted location to behind the bleachers. Tech quickly drew his gel-blaster and made a floundering attempt to defend himself against the amassing hoard. Seeing their plan crumbling to pieces instantly, Lexi leapt to Tech's side to give him a hand against the overwhelming crowd.

"Got a plan B?" He hesitantly asked.

"Survive." She instinctively answered.

Among the dust and debris kicked up from the chaos, Aphrodite couldn't care less. Instead she was busily examining each and every strand of her precious tresses.

"That mongrel had better not have given me split ends." She huffed.

"Your hair is perfect Aphrodite." Milo crooned, trying to reassure her.

"It is _NOT_ perfect!" She threw her fists down. "Nothing is perfect!" Those Loonatics are ruining everything!" She pointed at the battlefield where Lexi and Tech were doing their best to avoid a particularly nasty pummeling. "They're getting all the attention! It should be all about ME!!!"

Her glare only soured when the cheers from the female portion of the crowd were all loud, joyous and directed at the two mammals opposing her power. She snarled and shouted at the top of her lungs.

"We are LEAVING!!"

The heads of a hundred men turned in her direction.

"Yes, Aphrodite!"

"To where ever you want, Aphrodite!"

"We love you, Aphrodite!"

Abandoning their attack, the mindless followers trailed after Aphrodite as she huffed her way out of the stadium. Seeing their only chance at getting a sample of the pheromone stomping away, Tech and Lexi decided they had to follow. They only got a few feet however, when Duck, Rev, Ace and Slam got in their way.

"Just where do you think you're going?" Duck asked.

Catching this from over her shoulder, Aphrodite smiled.

"Good job boys. Keep them from following us. I want some private time before tonight's big event. This time everything is going to go how I want it to." She paused, thinking something over. "And make sure my lady friends don't bail on us. You're too kind."

Slam nodded with an enthusiastic pant, his tongue wagging out.

"Ladies come! Yeah!" He slobbered, spinning his way over to the bleachers where the captive women were currently trying to climb out of the seating area. The women screamed as the ground beneath them jolted, jerked, and was suddenly lifted from the ground above a massive purple whirlwind. The crowd of women lurched left and right as Slam carried the section of seating roughly towards the exit. The two women who were attempting to climb out of the stands at the inopportune time were now dangling for their lives with at least 30 feet between them and the astro-turf.

The innocents' safety taking priority over catching Aphrodite, Tech and Lexi turned their backs to their teammates, activated their jetpacks, and rushed to the scene. Aphrodite watched from the corner of her eye as she passed the exit threshold.

"Come boys." She ordered with a smile. She didn't care a bit for what happened to the fools who tried to escape, as long as enough were left to gloat to. With her words the remaining Loonatics flocked to her side with the exception of Ace, who distractedly watched on as Tech and Lexi navigated the purple tornado's fierce winds to get to the damsels in distress.

"Help me! Help!" One of the women cried. Her friends desperately trying to pull her back into the bleachers. Slam's sudden movement to follow Aphrodite's departure caused the danglers and those holding on to them to tumble out of the stands and plummet. At their screams, Ace jolted forward towards them but suddenly stopped in his tracks at the sound of,

"Acey, let's go." Aphrodite's sing-songy voice caught his ears. There was a moment of hesitation before he turned around and joined the capitulated crowd.

Lexi swooped down and caught the first falling woman.

"Gotcha!"

Tech managed to catch the next woman in his arms. Her friend however seized him around his neck from behind, stopping her fall, but choking him most awkwardly. The last woman too, grasped onto Tech, nearly pulling down his pants as she tightly hugged his waist.

"Is this what it's like to be popular?" he gasped, his wheeze drowned out by their worried shrieks.

On the other side of the field, the crashing sound of Slam smashing through the stadium wall turned their heads. He was making his escape, the last of Aphrodite's love slaves to leave. Tech and Lexi looked to each other, then to the women they had saved, and decided they had better make sure these ladies weren't hurt before pursuing the despotic diva further.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well, we can call that one a total disaster." Lexi whined, playing with the jar of cotton balls she found in the nurses office.

Tech listened silently. More concerned with cleaning the wound of one of the ladies who had cut her leg falling out of the bleachers.

"It's not so bad." He finally spoke.

"Not so bad? We got trashed by her man handlers." She stood with disgust.

He looked up at the bunny, some confusion on his features, now visible that he had taken off his protective rebreather.

"Huh? Oh no, I was talking about Miss Kerry's laceration." He pointed to the red gash across the woman's leg. "It'll heal without the need for stitches. What happened outside however? Yes, that was a total failure." He lowered his head and ears dejectedly.

Lexi let out a frustrated groan.

"If only we could have gotten that scarf. I should have come up with a better plan."

"Don't be so hard on yourself." The coyote consoled, standing up to face her. "It almost worked."

Lexi couldn't look him in the eyes. Here she was, superhero, temporary leader, and her best idea was foiled by some stereotype blond bimbo. It just didn't feel fair.

"Yeah, almost." She tightened her fists. Glancing to the other side of the room, she noted the women they had rescued. Tech had resumed bandaging the injured leg of his patient while her companions watched the Anthros inquisitively. Lexi reflected on what had happened only twenty minutes ago and felt guilty for showing weakness in front of the women who had seen her as their hero. She swallowed and steadied her resolve. "But we can't let her get away with this. This time people really could have gotten hurt. She doesn't care what happens as long as she gets what she wants."

"Yeah, Venus was always like that." One of the women interjected.

Lexi turned her head to the group, her interest renewed.

"Wait, you know her?"

"We all went to high school with her." The one identified as Kerry explained. " And she was a major snob back then too."

"All the women she had kidnapped, were they all from the your graduating class?" Tech asked, his mind gears turning.

"Well, most of them." Another one of the ladies said. "Some of them were juniors and a couple graduated a year before we did."

Lexi peered about the room. In the far back of the office a dusty bookshelf was piled with digital yearbooks. The nurse must have kept them for nostalgia. Lexi had one of the ladies pick out the right one, it was dated sixteen years prior. She pressed the button activating the holographic display of teenagers posing for school spirit photos, club activities, sporting events, and other school glorifying moments. As she was flipping through the glowing pages Lexi noticed that Venus Brittany, the girl who would become Aphrodite, was in the majority of them.

"Little Miss Popular." She muttered.

"I'll say." The tallest woman quipped. "She was in practically every club in school. You couldn't avoid her."

"Drama club, cheerleader, pep squad, glee club…" Lexi's nose twitched as the tally racked up.

"I don't see Chess club." Tech noted while reading over her shoulder.

"I don't think she considered mental sport a valued asset, Tech." Lexi answered.

As she browsed the photos Lexi spotted several where Venus was standing next to a young man with an oddly familiar face.

"Milo Thorne?" She gaped with surprise. He hardly looked like the desk jockey she had seen on the news. He was buff, muscular; his dark hair was longer, shaggy, like he had never known the word "comb." A letter jacket was wrapped around his broad shoulders with the school's team mascot embroidered on the breast pocket.

"He was a hottie…"

"He was the quarterback." Kerry said, pointing to the team roster.

"Explains the throwing arm." Lexi mused. She looked again at the photos of him and Venus. In one her arms were draped over him in a loving pose. The two of them were smiling at the camera. If the saying "the high school years are the best years of your life" were ever true, this photo would have been proof.

"He and Venus were dating that year." Kerry continued. "They were even voted King and Queen of both Homecoming and Prom."

"But they didn't last?" Tech inquired.

"No way," Stated the third woman with certainty. "After they graduated she wanted to be a super model and he decided to go to law school. From what I heard they broke up sometime after that. They didn't even speak to each other at the ten-year reunion. Let's just say, her modeling career didn't take off and she wasn't doing to well for herself."

"So life after high school didn't go according to plan." Tech rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Now it all makes sense!" Lexi clasped her hands together as a flash of inspiration struck through her mind. "The shopping, the men, the kidnapping and bringing everyone here. Tech, she isn't trying to take over the city. She's trying to relive her glory days."

"Which means she's going to try and recreate another moment from her past." Tech concluded.

Lexi turned off the holobook and thought about what this meant. Aphrodite was looking for a good time. She remembered that during the escape the diva had mentioned an event coming tonight. They had already seen a reenactment of homecoming on the football field, so what was left?

"What event would a spotlight hogging, self centered, attention seeker want to relive that would top her Homecoming?"

The answer was quite obvious and it came to Tech and Lexi simultaneously.

"The Prom!"

[To be continued


	6. Brains over blonde

Brains over Blonde

The catering hall was buzzing like a hive. Worker bees in the form of thousands of men zipped about, hanging streamers, sparkling lights and flashy ornaments. Aphrodite watched them all from the seat of her plush chair as Slam fanned her with the cliché giant fan they had picked up at some novelty shop on the way over. The rest of the Loonatics were standing sentry at her sides.

"Chop, chop." She sang over the crowd. "I want this place to be dazzling for tonight's big event." She looked over to Milo who was assisting some men assembling a DJ booth. "Milo, make sure there's a proportionate proportion of slow songs to fast ones. I want enough chances to get close to my special men."

The men around her beamed at a chance at such closeness to their idol. They all practically melted at the idea.

"Thank you Aphrodite!" They chorused.

She giggled to herself and laid back in her chair. Then she decided to do something with the superheroes standing around her.

"You," She pointed to Duck. "Rub my feet."

He popped in front of her, a look on his face that equaled if someone had just told him to take as much gold as he wanted from Fort Knox.

She turned to Rev. "You, go get me some chocolate."

In a flash of moment he was out the door and back in microseconds with a high pile of boxes in his arms.

"I-didn't-know-if-you-wanted-Bonbons-bar-chocolate-truffles-cherry-corgials-chocolate-syrup-and- I-didn't-know-if-you-wanted-them-from-Belgium-France-Switzerland-Germany-or-Pennsylvainia-so-I-got-you-a-little-of-everything-I-hope-you-like."

She took a box off from the pile and opened it. She handed the assortment of Godivas to Ace, who was standing closest to her.

"Feed them to me."

A look for confusion covered his face as he watched her lean back in her chair, mouth open, awaiting him to drop a candy into it. He hesitated, even appeared to dislike the order. She saw this and her expression went south.

"Acey, don't you want to make me happy?" She asked with a pout and a wave of her scarf in his direction.

He strained, if only for a moment. Then his features took a docile grin.

"Of course, ya beautifulness."

He delicately removed a chocolate from the box and neatly placed it on her tongue. He sighed contently as she chewed.

"That's more like it." She smiled after swallowing. Her bliss was suddenly cut short as a frown stole her face. Looking down, she snarled towards Duck.

"Excuse me! Did I give you permission to KISS my feet?"

His beak still in mid-pucker, Duck relinquished her toes with a fearful gulp.

000-000

Miles away from the festivities, a certain determined bunny and coyote were putting the final pieces together of a plan of there own. A plan that Lexi was certain would this time work. Their motorcycles tore across the bustling streets of the city. The setting sun in the distance shining off the dark buildings as the streetlights were starting to come on.

"Got everything Tech?" Lexi asked from the seat of her cycle. Tech held up a mesh bag full of technological goodies.

"Got it all right here. Including the counteragent dispersal unit, all ready to go. All we need is that pheromone sample."

"Oh, we'll get it alright. No more kid gloves for miss Princess."

"And I've got a few surprises for her entourage too, in case they get rowdy." The coyote smiled with anticipation. Lexi smirked back, knowing of the tricks they had stuffed up their proverbial sleeves to prepare for this mission.

"Let's go dethrone the Prom Queen."

000-000

The music was loud and bumping. The throbbing base shook the room with every beat. Colorful lights strobed off the walls and around the room at a fervent pace. The room was thick with light, sweat and sound. Aphrodite was the centerpiece for the world's biggest rave. The drug of choice, her pink mist steaming off her gyrating body. She laughed, spinning with delight under the shine of the glowing disco ball.

"Dance! Everyone dance with me!"

Men overflowed the dance floor, squeezing each other into a masculine mosh pit. Arms and legs swinging and stomping with the music as their cheers suffocated under the music. The poor abducted women were smashed within the crowd, jostled roughly between the active males. The whole ordeal made them feel like sardines crammed into their tiny tin while still alive.

The pulsating music covered the Loonatics entrance into the improvised nightclub. And It didn't take them long to pick out the VIP.

"Follow my lead." Lexi told Tech before beginning to dance to the beat of the music towards the center of the room.

"Traditionally, the man is supposed to lead when dancing." He trotted after her.

"It's the 28th century Tech, nobody waltzes anymore."

As the two grooved through the gathering, they collected stray women in need of rescue and lead them to the exit. The men were so fixated on Aphrodite, it became evident they hadn't been aware of any other woman in the room to begin with. With the bystanders safely out, the true plan was ready for action. Again Tech and Lexi danced through the crowd towards the center of the room.

Aphrodite took a moment to smile at every man facing her in the circle that formed around her. She was riding the rush of pleasure this was all giving her. She closed her eyes and listened to their chanting praise over the music.

"We love you Aphrodite!"

Milo gazed at her devotedly. He then felt a slight tap on his shoulder. He turned around to Tech greeting him with a nervous wave.

"Mind if I cut in?"

Aphrodite gave the coyote a filthy look.

"What are you doing here?" She pointed with a sneer.

"Just here for the party." Tech smiled. "And of course, to get a look at the woman of the hour." He gracefully bowed in a full-blown gesture of chivalry.

"Really? Oh goody!" She clapped. At first, Aphrodite was delighted. Finally the mutt was giving her the respect she deserved. And she didn't even have to give him a whiff of her mist. Then she noticed he was still wearing that ridiculous facemask that made him look like he had an antiquated radiator strapped to his face.

"Wait," she began to make conclusions. "Where's that little rabbit friend of yours?"

"Right here Aphrodite." Lexi emerged from the surprised crowd. Her head was bowed solemnly, like a child knowing she was in trouble. "We decided, we just can't beat you."

Aphrodite smiled. This she liked.

"So you're giving up? Like, for real?" She was still wary, but the idea of Lexi volunteering her defeat was too yummy to ignore.

"How can we possibly fight you?" Lexi shrugged. "I mean, you've got practically all of Acmetropolis as your slaves, you've got all the man power, not to mention all the looks."

Lexi tried her best to hide her smirk. A little ego waxing was all it would take for a self-absorbed princess to drop her guard.

"Well, that is true." Aphrodite's pearly white teeth were even more visible now, a good sign the plan was working.

"I could never even dream of being as good looking, or as fashionable, or a popular as you. I could only hope that maybe, you'd take me on as a student?"

Lexi flashed a hopeful smile and big puppy-dog eyes. No need to say, Aphrodite was surprised.

"Me? Teach you?" the diva scoffed, but then she gave it another thought. "Well, with me teaching you it could only be an improvement."

Lexi shook with excitement.

"You mean it? Because if you did, I could help you too. I know a lot about fashion."

"You? Know as much about fashion as me?" Aphrodite chuckled, "I doubt that."

"Oh, but I do." The bunny argued. "Like that dress, Jon Marc Vogue, am I right?"

Aphrodite looked over the slim silver dress with pink trim she was wearing; it indeed was designed by that person.

"Yes, yes it is."

"And your shoes. Vanessa Wong, spring season, limited edition pump with the buckle strap."

"Ok, you're good." The villainess admitted.

"The earrings are Avery, that necklace is McKimson, and that hair clasp is by Hawkins," She paused, then whispered "last season, but I won't tell anyone."

Impressed to the point of speechlessness, Aphrodite internally applauded Lexi's knowledge of fashion and her name-dropping abilities. But, she was not about to let this rabbit get one over on her.

"Well, you know your stuff, but I doubt you know all the designers."

Lexi shrugged again.

"No, I don't. I couldn't for the life of me figure out who made that lovely scarf of yours." She closed in on Aphrodite, getting just close enough to have the end of the scarf within her reach. "Maybe if you'd let me see the label…" she made the move to grab it.

Aphrodite's perfectly manicured hand clamped down upon Lexi's wrist.

"Hold on, you're up to something." She sneered.

"Who? Us?" Tech tilted his head to one side, trying to look innocent.

"Yes, you. You think you're so smart pretending to be all nice to me to get what you want. Well guess what? I invented pretend nice."

"Then I guess it's time to stop pretending." Lexi offered with a smile and a swift leg swipe that knocked Aphrodite off her high-healed feet. Within seconds Aphrodite's horde shifted into "kill" mode and surrounded Lexi, but the lapin heroine remained calm. "You know Aphrodite, it's sad you hide behind all these men. You've set the woman's lib movement back hundreds of years."

Aphrodite climbed to her feet with a gnarled expression. It was working all according to plan. Aphrodite was so pissed she'd have to want to take Lexi out herself. And Lexi was counting on this. Only in a one on one, close quarters fight could she have the best chance at grabbing that scarf. Lexi decided one last verbal jab would do it.

"Let's face it, without your boy-toys, you're just a washed up, has-been."

Lexi waited for the impending blow. But instead Aphrodite's face shifted into a wicked looking grin that gave Lexi the shivers.

"So says the girl who only has a nerd to back her up." The diva smiled. "I'm popular and you're jealous."

"Reality check Aphrodite, this isn't high school anymore. You're not popular. You're fooling them and yourself." Lexi was sure now, Aphrodite was psychotic.

"You think name calling is the best you can do to take me down? Please, that's mean girl 101. I know the best way to get a girl to hurt is to hit them where it's personal." Her smile twisted sinisterly as she called into the crowd. "Acey, Lexi's being mean to me. Why don't you teach her a lesson?"

Darn the luck! So much for a one-on-one with Aphrodite. Ace leaped with an aerial summersault over Lexi's head and landed before her with sword unsheathed.

"You weren't the dancing partner I had in mind." She muttered.

"Lexi!" Tech moved forward to help her but a heavy thump of large hands clamping down on his shoulders told him he was not allowed any further. Seeing this, Aphrodite chipperly grinned.

"Good boy, don't let that mutt interrupt this little dance number."

Tech's struggles had no result.

"Slam, let go! You can't let Aphrodite do this!"

The coyote's protests fell on the deaf ears of the love zombies watching Lexi's plight. She dashed about the small opening she had, dodging Ace's graceful and accurate moves. Sword steel only narrowly missing her with each swipe. He knew she didn't want to fight back too violently. Her kicks and punches were all aimed to knock ace out, or at least disarm him, but the fellow rabbit wasn't letting her get any successful hits in. Tech had to get through to his fellow Loonatics. It was the only way to get Lexi the help she needed. But they were too enraptured by Aphrodite's love scent, too in love, too focused on her…

At that moment Tech got one of his brilliant "super-genius" moments.

"Besides, don't you think she's being a little biased?"

"Biased? What do you mean?" Duck asked with a tinge of suspicion in his voice.

"Isn't it obvious," Tech shrugged. "Aphrodite likes Ace the best."

Duck's bill took a downward turn, dropping open in a state of indignity.

"Is that so?" he sneered sourly. "That long-ear's been hogging the spotlight for too long!" With a puff of quantum smoke, he disappeared and reappeared right in the middle of the battle between Lexi and Ace, right where Aphrodite's attention had currently been. Ace recalculated his swing and crashed right into the snack bar. Aphrodite was livid.

"What are you doing?"

"You like me, right?" He leaned forward into her face. "Like more than Ace, right?"

"Wha? Whatever, just get out of my way." She shoved him away to the side and again ordered Ace to "Finish her!"

"See," Duck gloated to Tech, "She likes me more than Ace. She even touched me!"

"Maybe," Tech feigned interest, "but does she like you the best? I mean, are you her favorite?"

"Of course I am!" Duck defended this statement as if Tech had asked if the Earth revolved around the Sun. "Everyone knows that I'm Aphrodite's favorite!"

"You? I-seriosly-doubt-that-everyone-knows-Aphrodite-likes-me-the-most!" Rev protested, speedily getting in Duck's face.

"You think she likes you the most?" Duck scoffed. "You sir, do not hold a candle to moi."

"Aphrodite likes me the most!" A random voice called into the crowd.

"Aphrodite loves me!" Another fervently shouted.

"Pretty lady love Slam most! Not Duck." The Tazzy Devil blathered as coherently as possible, getting dangerously close to a violent gesture on Duck's personage.

The protests and disputes became more pronounced, quickly filling the room with arguments over who was Aphrodite's favorite. Verbal blows were soon replaced with physical ones as an all out brawl broke out filling the whole room with jealous suitors fighting over the top position of "most loved."

Lexi suddenly found herself leaping over men that broke through the boundaries of her fight with Ace lost in the midst of their own battle with one another. The interruption however was not putting Ace off in anyway. He still leaped at her with sword drawn, slashing with all his energy.

Aphrodite tried with very little effect to wrangle in her horde.

"Stop that! There's enough of me to go around! Stop! Listen to me!"

"Tech, a little help to even the odds?" Lexi asked, dodging a sword swing and a thrown chair simultaneously.

"On it!" Now being completely ignored by the men Tech had ample opportunity to act upon the next step of his plan. He reached into his bag and pulled out several tiny black balls. Tossing them into the melee they exploded with a green mist that expanded into a thick foam. Any man caught in the cloud was now trapped in a misshapen blob of sticky goo that had them suspended in awkward positions of mid-pummeling.

At this point the spreading skirmish was now even affecting Ace's usually masterful performance. His attempt to get a clean slice at Lexi was interrupted by two men tumbling in his path, knocking him over as they strangled one another. Taking advantage of the distraction, Lexi made her way to Aphrodite, who was still trying to regain control over her men.

"Boys, Boys! You can all have me, just stop all this! I mean it! Don't make me count to three!" She was sounding pretty desperate by now.

Sneaking up slowly, Lexi reached out her hand towards the flittering fabric of Aphrodite's scarf. It was just a few inches from her grasp. Her fingertips brushed the silk. Stretching out just a little more she grabbed it.

"Gotcha!" With a sigh of relief she gripped the end of the scarf firmly in her paw. They finally had it, after all the effort and setbacks they now had what they were seeking. Unfortunately, swept up in all the excitement of finally having the scarf in her hand, Lexi had forgotten that the other end was still attached to Aphrodite. The bunny looked up at the beet red face of her adversary. It looked almost as if at any second the diva's head would explode with rage.

"You! You ruined my evening!"

The outburst had a warning; the punch to the face did not. Lexi reeled back, loosing her footing and her grip on the scarf. She barely had time to collect herself before dodging a kick to the head from a high healed shoe.

"Oh, sure. _Now_ she wants to fight me one-on-one."

Lexi now found herself faced with two opponents. On one side, Aphrodite; primed for a cat fight against the surprised bunny. On the other, Ace; still swiping with his sword at her head at any opening he got. Dodging him had been hard enough when it had only been the two of them, but with the crazed diva now out for blood, Lexi was finding it hard to keep focused on what to do.

"Tech, where's that backup?" She asked, ducking a swipe of sharp, crimson nails.

"I'm coming Lexi." He shouted back over the struggles and grunts of many men either trying to pummel each other senseless, or trying to free themselves from the capture-foam. He had one pellet left and he was readying his arm to toss it at Aphrodite. He took his time; if he was lucky, he could get her and Ace simultaneously. Sure, his boss might be miffed being captured, but once he got the counteragent for the pheromone, Ace would surly be forgiving.

There, in a split second he saw Lexi maneuvering in a way that would have Ace and Aphrodite side-by-side for just a moment long enough for them both to be engulfed by the foam cloud. He reeled back his arm and calculated the distance, air friction, and strength of throw needed. He hurled his arm forward, but a sudden jolt of someone landing on him threw off his balance. Just his luck, the pellet landed on the ground just at his feet, breaking open and dispensing its gas. He knew he only had seconds to react. Reaching for the dispersal unit, he pulled it off his belt and tossed it at Lexi, shouting.

"Lexi, catch!"

She looked up to see the disk shaped unit sailing through the air. She jumped up and caught it, looking back to see a very embarrassed coyote trapped in his own foam bomb.

"Sorry." He called to her.

Lexi grunted to herself, holding the device to her chest.

"Great, now it's up to me."

With her backup caught in his own backfire, Lexi took a moment to take in all her options. The other Loonatics were not in their right minds. Tech was no longer there for her to fall back on. Aphrodite was moments away from clawing her eyes out, if Ace didn't chop off her head first. The fate of normalcy in Acmetroplis was in her paws and if she doubted herself for even a moment from here on, it would mean she was not worthy of calling herself its protector.

She couldn't let that be. Zadavia picked her, not only because she had super powers, but because she had the skills to use them for the benefit of the people. She had the heart, the morality, the talent. Zadavia knew it, Tech knew it, and of course, Ace knew it. She remembered the trust he had in her that morning. How could she let him down knowing that he trusted her with his life? She couldn't.

So when Aphrodite came swooping down, ready to ruin her manicure slicing into Lexi's face, the rabbit knew it was now or never. A careful dodge to the side let Aphrodite fall flat on her face on the dance floor. Lexi's ears heard the oncoming swipe of Ace's sword long before her body naturally bent backwards out of its way. She was trusting her instincts, letting her reservations melt away. She had to focus on her goal, which was flittering in the breeze with every exasperated kick, punch and swipe that Aphrodite threw at her. With the next failed blow, Lexi reached out and gripped the pink scarf in her hand. With a graceful twirl around her opponent, Lexi unwrapped the scarf from around Aphrodite's neck. It was finally hers. A moment of victory.

A moment that suddenly turned very sour when Aphrodite pulled back on the loose end of the fabric. There was an even more intense look of murder on her face now.

"This is MINE!" The villainess hissed. "You can't have it!" A flying kick came up, nearly knocking Lexi's nose off if she hadn't moved back at the last second.

Another barrage of attacks ensued. With her prized possession in jeopardy, Aphrodite was not holding back. Her efforts were so rancorous and vehement that Ace was forced to abandon his assault to make way for her and she and Lexi struggled against each other in the center of the room. The two volleyed punches and kicks, each holding on to their end of the scarf, refusing to let go.

"Just give it up already." Lexi grunted, pulling with all he strength.

Aphrodite snarled in response. She lunged forward into a cartwheel, missing Lexi by mere inches. Coming around the rabbit so suddenly, the object of their tug of war was now wrapped around her body. And it seemed that's how Aphrodite wanted it. With her arms pinned at her sides, Lexi couldn't prepare herself for the diva wrapping a length of the scarf around her neck and pulling tightly.

"You want it so badly," the hot-headed woman growled. "Here it is!"

The fabric pressed against Lexi's throat, pinning her to Aphrodite's torso. Though it wasn't tight enough to choke her, it was uncomfortable and limited her movement to the point where it was evident that Aphrodite had the upper hand.

"Nobody takes what's mine." Aphrodite hissed in her sensitive ears, "I'm going to get everything I deserve. Including your boys." The villainess cast her gaze on Ace. He had been watching this unfold in silence, an absence of emotion on his face. Aphrodite smiled wickedly as a devious idea formed in her head.

"Acey," she said in a way that was like bitter honey "Why don't you have the honors of finishing her off."

Lexi's eyes widened at the very notion. Looking up at Ace, she couldn't believe he was coming towards her, sword drawn. This couldn't be happening. He'd never do this. Not in his right mind. There had to be a way to get through to him.

"Ace, think about what she's asking you to do. Is it really worth it?" He continued to approach her. "We're friends! Don't you remember that? We've known each other too long to let a villain get between us." He stopped only inches from her, staring down at her without any hint on his features as to what he was thinking. "You think you love her, but that doesn't mean you have to do everything she says. True love isn't about taking orders. It's about listening to each other and being equal. You should know that. You're smart enough to know you shouldn't be listening to her. Because I know you don't really love her."

Her fear took a strong hold as he lifted his sword. Aphrodite smiled with a chuckle under her breath. Tech struggled with all his strength to pull himself free of his constrictive foam. If he could just get his arm free he could magnetize Ace's sword away like he did before.

Ace swung a downward stroke with marksman speed. With a clean slice, Lexi suddenly fell to the ground face first. Tech gasped, jaw dropped.

"Lexi!"

Lexi lay there a moment, then slowly got back up. The scarf that had wrapped around her body was now lying limp in her arms. Behind her a bewildered Aphrodite held a tiny scrap of scarf in her hand. The two pieces had been neatly severed by Ace's trusty blade. He stood above Lexi with a happy, but pained smile.

"What was that?" Aphrodite questioned loudly. "What are you doing? I told you to finish her!"

"D'only thing dat's ova Aphrodite, is 'ar relationship." He answered, though it looked on his face like this was a difficult thing to say. Like turning her down was like pulling a sharp barb from his flesh.

"No! This can't be happening!" Aphrodite waved her arms franticly in a rage. "Nobody says 'no' to me!"

While her adversary was fully distracted, Lexi took this moment to place a scrap of the scarf into the scanning grid of the dispersal unit. A little red light turned on, along with a digital readout stating that the sample was being analyzed.

"Guess dere's a foist time fa' everything." Ace simply replied.

"Looks like the dance is over, Aphrodite." Lexi stated while getting to her feet.

Aphrodite looked around. Any men that weren't trying to rip each other to bits where trapped within Tech's foam. She glared at the two bunnies looking back at her with such defiance. Then, with one last desperate idea, she called out to the entire room.

"The one who destroys the rabbits will be my favorite!"

The room was filled with a quick silence as all the men snapped their gazes towards Lexi and Ace in the center of the room. Ace's expression now became even more uncomfortable.

"Eh, dis won't be good"

Lexi peeked at the dispersal unit. The light had turned yellow. It was synthesizing the counteragent but was only 50% done. They only had to survive a few minutes more.

Easier said then done as Duck popped out of the air right near the quarry.

"Get the rabbits? You don't have to ask me twice!" He rushed at them, generating two quantum eggs in his palms. "Aphrodite, your hero is at your beck and call."

Ace and Lexi looked at Duck, then at the mob of men also headed towards them from the other side, then each other. With a silent nod and smile they leaped up at the last second to have Duck knocked over by the tidal wave of masculinity. His energy orbs fizzled out as he lay, appearing as unheroic as possible, flattened on the floor. The men again clamored to attack the landing lagomorphs. This time Slam and Rev were a part of the rush.

Tech, this entire time had been watching with nerves on a roller coaster ride. But he had not abandoned his task of pulling his arm free of the containment foam. With a final firm yank, the appendage was free. A split second after, he summoned the DJ booth with his magnetism and hurled it into the super powered twosome knocking them back into most of the mob.

It appeared the good guys once again gained the upper hand over Aphrodite's love puppets. That is until Ace was grabbed from behind by Milo in a crashing tackle that pinned him to the floor under the man's weight. Lexi moved to help him, but the remaining angry men got between her and them, their teeth gnashed in pugilistic intent.

Ace tried to pull himself from Milo's grasp, but it seemed the man was using all the anger he had been holding back from seeing Ace overthrowing him as Aphrodite's "favorite" to give him strength. Aphrodite gave a gloating smile over the felled rabbits. With Lexi behind a wall of testosterone powered bodyguards and Ace held back by the arms of her own personal Prince Charming, the battle appeared to be won.

"You made a bad choice Ace." She grinned, "No man ever rejects me."

A soft beeping caught Lexi's attention. Looking down at the dispersal unit she saw the light had finally turned green and the display was flashing, "100%"

"Looks like you'll have to deal with lot of rejection real soon!" Lexi shouted, pressing the activation button and tossing the unit into the air.

The small disk shaped apparatus hovered mid-air over the hoard and began sprinkling the crowd with the clear counter-agent. The overly sweetened smell of Aphrodite's mist was quickly dampened with the cleansing rain. The room was suddenly filled with the fresh absence of the substance, and with it gone the minds of the men in the room where clearing out as well. Around her Lexi could hear the murmurs of "What am I doing?" "Why am I here?" and "My wife's gonna kill me!"

One by one, Aphrodite saw each man get up and walk out the door. They were done. They had lives to get back to.

"Wait! Where are you going?" She called to them. Most ignored her. Some cursed her out or insulted her with a physical gesture. Some murmured they were planning to sue for the emotional damages she had caused.

"You can't leave. We can still have a good time. Come back!" She fell to her knees, begging. Her cries fell into the air as if they never existed. No man turned back. Milo let go of Ace with a look of embarrassment and apology. He then turned his eyes to Aphrodite. She looked up at him hopeful and pleading. "Milo, sweetie. You'll stay. Tell me I'm beautiful. Tell me you love me."

Milo only shook his head. The withering look her gave to Aphrodite was harsh and bitter enough to tell her he was glad he had broken up with her all those years ago. He turned silently, even as she tried to grab his leg to stop him, and walked out the door.

"Sorry Aphrodite." Ace stood over her, "No love here."

She sat there, stupefied. Even as the other Loonatics gathered around her she stayed on the ground, trembling, mumbling to herself.

"This can't happen to me. I'm beautiful. I'm a cheerleader. I'm popular!"

Her voice echoed throughout the nearly empty room. The music had stopped. Confetti and streamers littered the floor, wet from the dispersal unit's shower and their color fading from the leaking die. Someone had turned the house lights on so the disco ball had lost its shine. The dispersal unit's liquid has also melted the foam that had been holding Tech and the unfortunate other men captive. The green slop was oozing around the floor, mixing with the ruined paper decorations. Only the coyote had stayed once freed. The six heroes stood around the dilapidated prom queen. Her hair a mess. Her dress wet and torn. Her make-up running from her sweat and tears. She looked like a wreck. A pitiful wreck.

Lexi sighed, she felt a twang of pity but it wasn't enough to get in the way of justice being served. She reached into her utility pouch and pulled out a set of handcuffs. Wrapping them around Aphrodite's wrists, she got in the last word.

"Oh, look, they match your dress. Who says I can't accessorize?"

Tech removed his face mask, finally able to breathe the air around Aphrodite without worry.

"You were right about one thing Aphrodite," he turned his head, eyeing the empty room. "You got everything you deserved."

Venus Brittany, broken down with nothing left of her brief, former glory, began to bawl loudly. The remains of her eyeliner dripped down her cheeks.

Duck shook his head, clucking his tongue with disappointment. He eyed his fellow teammates before saying,

"Pathetic, and to think you guys where sooooo wrapped up in her."


	7. Back to Normal

Back to Normal

The training room was still set up with the circus motif. The trapezes squeaked and whined as they swayed back and forth from the ceiling. Ace stood on the ground looking up watching the feathered performers doing their trick. Duck has complained enough for Ace to allow him to do the trust jump without a blindfold. After all, he had argued, trusting Rev's accuracy and grip at that altitude was blind faith enough.

After a few goes that ended without Duck becoming a pancake on the training room floor, he was feeling cocky enough to show off a little. And by "a little" meant putting on a real overconfident display, blindfold on, naturally.

"She was an Acrobat's daughter/ she swung by her teeth from a noose. But in one matinee/ her bridgework gave way/ and she flew through the air like a goose." Duck sang as he somersaulted into Rev's hands before quacking them both safely to the ground to end with a flourished bow exclaiming, "Tada!"

The other Loonatics applauded. Duck drank it all in like a sponge.

"You're too kind."

"Hey-I-did-half-the-work-too-you-know." Rev added.

"Good teamwoik you two." Ace complemented approaching them. Duck smiled, smug as ever. Rev smiled contentedly as well. The possibility of an argument defused, Ace then turned to Tech and Lexi. "Speaking of teamwoik, da both of ya displayed some real excellent teamwoik t'day."

If she hadn't already been pink, Lexi was sure Ace would have noticed her blushing. Tech too was grinning with pride.

"Ah, we just did what needed to be done. Wasn't too hard for Lexi's quick thinking and my genius." He accepted unpretentiously.

"Handlin' Aphrodite and all her boy toys couldn't have been easy wit it bein' just the two a ya." Ace continued. "Plus us bein' under her control musta made it all harder." He, Rev and Slam all lowered their eyes shamefully at these words. Ace lifted his head and looked Lexi right in the eyes. "If you hadn't gotten through ta me, things coulda taken a different toin. Thanks Lex."

"It was no biggie." Lexi shrugged, trying to sound as modest as possible. Truthfully she didn't want to think about what could have happened if her words had not reached Ace's better judgment.

Duck exhaled loudly and rolled his eyes.

"Please," he scoffed "So Lexi was immune to Aphrodite's love mist and Tech got lucky enough to avoid it doesn't mean they should get any special treatment. If it had been me, I for one would have performed just as admirably, if not better."

Tech crossed his arms skeptically "Oh really?"

"Of course." Duck replied confidently. "I'm level headed and cleaver enough to get by in tough situations. It takes more then just a pretty face to win one over on Danger Duck."

"Hey, isn't that Misty Breeze?" Lexi pointed in a random direction.

Duck's head swiveled sharply, his gaze darting about the room to find his object of desire.

"Misty Breeze? Where? How? When?"

After a few fruitless seconds of searching, the sound of muffled giggles let Duck know he had once again just fallen for the oldest joke in the book. He furrowed his brow in Lexi's direction.

"You're despicable." He spat.

"Sorry." She giggled. Unable to hold it back any longer, she let out a long peal of laughter. This made Duck even more irate. And when the others in the room joined her, he had enough. He called out above the roar of their laughter.

"Okay, you got me. We all got a nice laugh out of Duck. Now we can move on with our lives." They continued chuckling. "Honestly, you can all stop now." They gave no signs of stopping. He scowled at all of them, and then exclusively at Ace.

"And you expect us to form bonds of trust in this kind of environment?" He again rolled his eyes, "Sheesh."

[The End]


End file.
